Happy Birthday to ME

Ok, well technically, it's one day until my 1st anniversary of my posterior fossa decompression, c1 and c2 laminectomy, and duraplasty.

I'll have some kind of post up if I can manage to get in front of the computer, which would involve getting out of bed Friday, which I am terrified to do, because I have now convinced myself that the ceiling will fall right on my head, shoving my skull on its unstable vertebrae down into my butt ( thanks a lot, Queli ;) ), and once everyone appreciates the irony of me having my head removed from my bum, I'll have to start all over again.

Little bit of PTSD? NEVAH!!!

I would like a rousing round of comments of "Happy Birthday" with the words changed to reflect Chiari as each of us has experienced. Or haiku. Or just prose. Who needs rhyming couplets? Not I!

So if anyone does happen to see the sky falling on November 30th, no worries. Just avoid my neck of the woods.

Hehe.
"Neck of the woods"
I'm so punny....

Coping Mechanisms

Exactly how DOES one get through brain surgery, recovery, and life in general? If I cut through all the seriousness, which I do love to do, here are my recommendations. I have been beta testing all of them, with varying degrees of success, and can quite honestly say they have made the past year much more bearable.

1. If you're single, sign up for an online dating site.
2. Buy a really expensive European designer scarf to cover your landing strip.
3. Plan a trip. Or trips. Or career change for when you recover. And invite along a family member you're trying to make peace with, then plot in secret to sell them once you reach North Africa, which they'll have never seen coming, because they think after brain surgery you're all calm and peaceful and forgiving.
4. Get a cute physical therapist, preferably with an accent and who plays contact sports.
5. Take up a musical instrument. The more obscure, the better. You don't have to learn to play it while recovering, just start thinking about all the covers to your favorite songs you can butcher.
6. Blog a lot. It helps to hear others voices and perspectives, especially for a condition where so little is known. But maybe do it anonymously, so your doctors don't read it and refuse to treat you any more for "slander".